Ford Focus C-Max

[lawrence567]

Evening Chap's

I recently purchased a Renault Scenic 1.5DCi (baby mobile) to cart the gf & the little'uns about in.
However the con rod smashed itself & the engine to pieces on 58,000 miles.
Luckily it was bought from a family friends garage & i was refunded!
I'm now looking at a C-Max, 2003 1.8 Petrol with 57,000 on the clock.
My question is that there seems to be mixed reviews on it all over the web, & it tends to be its either st or really good.
Does anyone know what i should be looking out for?
& can anyone tell me what the "Zetec" trim means?
Any help is muchly appreciated as i don't have a clue what i'm looking out for as it's a private sale & the last thing i need is to buy a duff car again!

[lawrence567]

Do you know anything i shouold be looking out for on them & do you know what the "zetec" one is?

[lawrence567]

Ok cheers chaps, i've got 2 cars to look at.
Going to see the Ford first, 57K, partial service history, old MOT's, 6 months T&T.
Also going to look at a Meriva, with FSH, 10 months T&T 39k for the same price.
It's replacing my Scenic which mashed itself to pieces so it's ore of a tool than a toy!

[lawrence567]

Lol.
I had a Scenic as my first car so there's no hope for me!

[lawrence567]

Any thoughts on a 1.6 16v Meriva Design?

[lawrence567]

Fords a 2003 & the Meriva is a 2003 also.
The only thing that's making me wary on the Ford is it's £800 cheaper than the next one of equivalent spec & mielage - & you know when things seem too good to be true they usually are?
Well i'm getting that feeling about it!

[lawrence567]

Very un PH i know, that does'nt phase me though.
Once the Gf passes her driving test she can have it & i'm super charging a 350Z

[lawrence567]

Budget is tight at £3.5K! Which is the limiting factor.

[lawrence567]

I was initially going to buy the Focus but the more i think about it the more i think it could be a dud.
The guy who's selling it has partial service history, although he said it's serviced before every MOT, he does'nt have any of the service detail, only the MOT's.
I asked him if he had any receipts / payment receipts from the garage to back this up & he did'nt.
Hence why i think it could be a bit too good to be true, nearly a grand cheaper than the next nearest equivalent, partial service history, if i had a bit of spare cash i'd take a punt but i can't afford it if it goes Pete Tong!

[lawrence567]

Ah i was looking at the 1.8 Zetec petrol.

[lawrence567]

Cheers chaps.
I decided against the C-Max, in my past experience if it's too good to be true it probably is.
Went to look at a Meriva near by & it was pretty ste, crappy cheap plastic everywhere!
So that's probably off the list aswell!
Back to the drawing board!